Shaving-machine.



M. E. RYAN.

SHAVING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED D130. 29, 1910.

1,024,149. Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

M. E. RYAN. SHAVING MAUHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 29, 1910. 1 ,O24,149. Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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MICHAEL EMMET RYAN, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHAVING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

Application filed December 29, 1910. Serial No. 599,870.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL EMMET RYAN, a citizen of the United States,resid ing at Fall River, county of Bristol, Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inShaving-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the shaving of the fur growths of skins, andparticularly to the shaving of the tips of certain hairs or fibers ofsuch a fur growth.

There are two main industries to which this invention relatesparticularly; first, to the general business of dressing furs forwearing purposes, or like uses, and, second, in the art of preparingfibers for felting.

The natural fur growth of any pelt is varied, both as to the nature ofthe growth and to the state of the growth. There are two wholly distincttypes of growth on the usual pelt, one a soft growth of considerableabundance, usually referred to as the fibers, and the other a longer,stouter growth of somewhat greater sparsity and scattered through thefiber growth. The fiber growth, there fore, constitutes the main body ofthe fur and is the more valuable element, bot-h for warmth and beauty,as well as for such mechanical usages as felting. The longer hairsextend above the fiber growth so as to overlap the same and to appearuppermost as it were, covering in the natural posit-ion of the fur thesofter fibers underneath. These projecting hairs are usually termedmaster hairs and, while they are of no value in felting and are usuallyconsidered undesirable on skins used for wearing apparel, still theyhave a certain material value in other industries. In the dressing offurs for wearing apparel the appearance of these master hairs is usuallyconsidered as detrimental to the beauty of the fur and it is, therefore,usually desired to get rid of the master hairs, or at least to eliminateso much of it as extend above the fiber growth. The same is true in theuse of fur for felting, except that in the latter industry it isdesirable to eliminate the master hair altogether. It, therefore, isdesirable in certain processes of treating fibers for felting on theskins to shave the tips of the master hairs in the same manner thatskins for wearing apparel are shaved. The term shaving is used herein todesignate the clipping of the extreme tips of the protruding growth ascounterdistinguished from any ordinary cutting or shearing of the growthwithout regard to length, and especially as distinguished from thepulling process or plucking process in which it is intended to drag outthe master hairs by the roots. The pulling or plucking of a pelt is amatter of great difliculty for the rather obvious reason that the hairswhich are to be pulled only extend slightly above the fiber and thatthey cannot be pulled without gaining on them a fair hold. If,therefore, the hold be sufficient to pull the hair it is very apt tomean an engagement at a level which is apt to take in or seize withinthe same grip the tips of the underlying fiber which it is desired toleave on the skins. While there have been devised mechanical plucking orpulling machines the difficulties of adjustment have been so great thathand plucking is usually resorted to. This is accomplished by anoperator who uses a heavy knife between which and a rubber guard on histhumb the hair is grasped. It will be readily seen that this also is acrude and difficult operation in which there is a constant tendency toget hold of and pull out a portion of the fiber growth.

It is the object, therefore, of my present invention to provide amachine capable of shavingythat is to say, clipping the tips of themaster hairs without the liability of cutting or gouging or pulling anyof the fiber growth. As will be seen from the above, one of the greatdifliculties is the gaging of the shaving so that only the hair tipswill be cut. This gaging is complicated by the peculiar nature of fur.

Returning to the discussion of the growths on the skin, it will beunderstood that at almost any period of the year there are on the pelt avariety of lengths of both fiber and hair. Regarding the main body ofthe growth, that is to say, the long master hairs of which the tips mustbe cut excluded, and considering the denser body of growth as a whole,it will be understood that there is a mixture of fiber of somewhatvariant length of somewhat varying fineness. This growth in nature, thatis, while on the animal, lies symmetrically and evenly in an inclined position with each individual fiber normally straight. When handled as apelt, however, this fiber growth tends to become confused and tangled.Some of the longer and finer fibers havea tendency to become matted inthe main body of the fur. The shaving of the tips of the long hairs,therefore, involves a handling which shall overcome this tendency totangle and which shall work to present the fiber at the time of thecutting in a position where the growth is substantially straight andnormal, so that only the tips of the master hairs will be out.

As illustrative of my invention I have shown a machine which I havefound well adapted to practical use and, together with this, I haveshown certain diagrams in the endeavor to make more clear the conditionsunder which the machine operates, as well as the operation of themachine itself.

Throughout specification and drawings like reference numerals areemployed to indicate corresponding parts and in the drawings,Figure 1 isa front elevation of a machine embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is asectional view just inside the inner bearing, Fig. 3 is a detail of theskin bar, Fig. 4, a diagrammatic representation of a fur growth, Fig. 5a diagrammatic view illustrating one adjustment of my machine, Fig. 6, acorresponding view showing another adjustment, and Fig. 7 is a frontelevation of the cutting knives and the bearing roll.

Upon a bed or table 1, mounted on any suitable support 2, are uprightbearings 33. These bearings are vertically slotted at 44 andtransversely slotted at 5-5 in a diagonal direction, so as to give botha vertical and an oblique bearing. Within the openings 4 are journaledboxes 6 within which is mounted a knife shaft 7. \Vithin the openings 5are boxes 8 within which is journaled a roll shaft 9.

10 is a shell fixed on the knife shaft 7 and having blades 11 spirallydisposed on the shell and set forward in their direction of rotation, soas to give a slightly curved forward surface 11. On the roll shaft 9 ismounted a roll 12, preferably of rubber and usually of slightly smallerdiameter than the peripheral measurement of the knives. The shaft 9 isdriven by a smaller pulley 13, while the shaft 7 is driven by a largerpulley 14, so that the roll 12 will revolve faster than the knives. Theend of the shaft 7 is journaled in a box 15 adjustably mounted in asupport 16 and, held therein by a set screw 17. The boxes 6 arevertically adjustable in the slot 4 by means of screws 18. The boxes 8are adjustable in their diagonal slots by screws 19.

20 is a slide working in a slideway 21 and carrying adjustable rods 22,between the ends of which is a bar 23. This bar has on one side an edge24 and on the other side a rounded back 25. The bar is adjustably heldby a thumb nut 26 so that it may be set with either the rounded back orthe sharp edge forward, according to the nature of the skin which is tobe drawn over it. The bars 22 are adjustable by set screws 27. Springs28 normally hold the slide 20 in outward position, it being advanced tothe cutters by the pressure of the body of the operator against theslide, while he draws the skin over the bar 23. For this purpose hetakeshold of the skin with one hand on each end, drawing it over the edges ofthe bar and advancing it to the knives by the pressure of his body onthe slide, as described.

Referring to Fig. 4, it may be explained that the. skin in general isindicated by m, the upper layer being specifically numbered as w and theinner skin as 00 The growth y, indicated in the lighter lines, isintended to diagrammatically represent the fiber growth of slightlyvarying lengths. The darker growth, indicated as e is intended toindicate the master hairs which are to be shaved. It has been attemptedto show that the fibers g are rooted in the outer skin 00, while themaster hairs are rooted in the inner skin 00 Referring to Fig. 5 it willbe seen that the knife shaft 7 is indicated as directly over the rollshaft 9. It will be seen that when the skin 0; is drawn across the bar23 in the direction of the arrow with the natural growth of the hairinclined forward in the direction of its movement, it is moved past theblades 11 in their descent. That is to say, the blades strike downtoward the fur growth, swinging in the direction of that growth, so thatthere is a constant tendency to stroke with the growth of the hair. Thisis of great advantage for several reasons, the first being that themaster hairs which are intended to be clipped lie shingled over thelower fiber, thus protecting it against the action of the knives. Inthis way the very part which is to be shaved when it reaches the vertexof the two rolls is made to protect that part which it is desired toavoid in cutting. In the second place, the stroking of the blades tendsto straighten out all of the growths in their normal direction and soarrange them as it were, so that the tips of the longest growth will bepresented at the line of shaving between the knife and the roll. Inaddition to this, and in order to make more certain a presentation ofthe growth to the cutting line between the roll and the path of theknives, I have given to the roll 12 a rapid reverse movement. That is tosay, I rotate the roll shaft 9 in an opposite direction to the knifeshaft 7 in any suitable manner, as by the ,cross belt or other devicenot shown. This rapid reverse rotation of the roll 12 tends to supportand press back by its light surface friction the fur growth on the peltas it makes the turn about the bar 23. That is to say, as the skinpasses over the bar 23 it is successively folded. On account of thenormal angular growth of the fiber and hair there is, of

course, a tendency, as soon as the fold is formed in any line, for thegrowth on that fold to point down. This tendency is met by the reverserotation of the roll 12 which lightly bears up the tips of the growth.The longer portions of the growth having a greater engagement with theroll 12 are more positively affected than the shorter growths and arethus the ones which are more positively fed up to the shaving linebetween the knives and the roll 12. In this way I am able to secure aremarkable degree of accuracy in shaving the tips of the master hairs.

In preparing fur for wearing apparel I am able to shave the mostvaluable skins at the same rapid rate at which cheaper skins are handledwithout the slightest danger of damaging the fine fur fiber which it isdesired to expose by the removal of the hair tips. By avoiding thecutting of this fine fur fiber I make a great saving in the weight ofthe fur left on these valuable skins. It will be understood that in theart of dressing furs for wearing apparel that, while this underlying furfiber which might be cut ofi" is valuable for felting purposes, it isenormously more valuable left on the pelt for wearing apparel, providedof course that the master hairs can be shaved to expose it.

Coming now to the matter of adjustment, I have endeavored to show inFig. 6 a posi tion of roll and knife shaft which will illustrate myfeature. As above suggested, the skins of a great variety of animals arepresented for shaving, each having difierent peculiarities. There is,therefore, a difference in the way which certain skins must be handled.In Fig. 6 I have shown an adjustment for a certain class of skins forwhich the adjustment shown in Fig. 5 would present some difiiculties.Referring back to Fig. 5, it will be seen that there is a small arrowpointed directly down to the fur and indicated as a. This arrow isintended to represent the downward draft of the knives as they approachthe fur. In certain fur growths there are fibers of considerable lengthwhich can be easily shaved at the same time that the master hairs areshaved. They have, however, none of the stiffness of the master hairsand, on account of their length and stiffness, are easily blown down,crumpled or entangled in the main body of the growth. This down draft,therefore, has a tendency to disarrange these fibers in such a way thatit is diflicult for them to get back to their proper and naturalattitude in time to be shaved at the line of contact between the knifecylinder and the roll. I, therefore, provide for the adjustment shown inthe machine and as illustrated in Fig. 6. In this fi re it will be seenthat, while there is sti l a tendency to blow down in the directionshown by the arrow a, there is a greater space of travel before reachingthe shaving line. Over this space the fanning tendency of the bladesoccurs more and more to the horizontal until, in the arrangement shownin Fig. 6, at the cutting point it begins to rise again, as indicated bythe arrow 6. This gives a chance for a counter action of the crumplingtendency, as indicated by the arrow a, by the straightening, asindicated by the arrow 6. In addition to this draft creating tendency,the adjustment affords another advantage for this type of pelt. The skina: in being drawn over the bar 28 presents its growth more directlyagainst the-cylinder 12, so that the frictional effect of the cylinderin its rapid upward rotation is more positive and tends to morepositively maintain the growth which is to be shaved.

In connection with the drafts, it may be said that at 29, in Fig. 2, Ihave shown a curved guard which extends down on the front side of themachine partly covering the knife blades. This guard to some extentcontrols the downward draft, as indicated by the arrow a. It also tendsto protect the fingers of the operators. It is not possible, however, toextend this guard far enough around the knife cylinder to wholly protectit from the downward draft a on ac count of the disarrangement of thefur which must pass under it without being ruffied up.

Various modifications may obviously be made in the general constructionof my machine and a great variety of manners of adjustment may ofcourse, be substituted for the simple arrangements which I have shown.All these matters are considered to be within the spirit of my inventionif within the limits of the appended claims.

I/Vhat I, therefore, claim and desire to se cure by Letters Patent is 1.In a machine for shaving the fibers of pelts, a rotary cutter, a restroll in peripheral contact therewith, means for positively andcontinuously drivin said cutter and said rest roll in oppositedlrections, the speed of said rest roll being greater than said cutter.

2. In a machine for shaving the fibers of pelts, a rotary cutter, a restroll located below said cutter and having peripheral contact with saidcutter, means for positively and continuously driving said cutter andsaid rest roll in opposite directions, the speed of said rest roll beinggreater than said cutter.

3. In a machine for shaving the fibers of pelts, a rotary cutter havingspirally disposed blades spaced about said cutter, a rest roll locatedbelow said cutter and having peripheral contact with said blades, meansfor positively and continuously driving said cutter and said rest rollin opposite directions, the speed of said rest roll being greater thansaid cutter.

4. In a device of the class described a rotary cutter having spirallydisposed blades, spaced about said cutter, a rest roll located belowsaid cutter and having peripheral contact with said blades, means forpositively and continuously driving said cutter and said rest roll inopposite directions but at different speeds, the speed of said rest rollbeing greater than said cutter and means for presenting the hairs ofpelt between said cutter and roll.

5. In a device of the class described a rotary cutter having spirallydisposed blades, spaced about said cutter, a rest roll located belowsaid cutter and having peripheral contact with said blades, means forpositively and continuously driving said cutter and said rest roll inopposite directions but at different speeds, the speed of said rest rollbeing greater than said cutter and means for presenting the hairs ofpelt between said cutter and roll in the direction of their growth.

6. In a device of the class described a rotary cutter having spirallydisposed blades, spaced about said cutter, said blades being curved inthe direction of their rotation, a rubber rest roll located below saidcutter and having peripheral contact With said blades, means for drivingsaid cutter and said rest roll in opposite directions but at differentspeeds, the speed of said rest roll being greater than said cutter andmeans for presenting the hairs of pelt between said cutter and roll.

7. In a machine for shaving the fibers of pelts, a rotary knife and arotary restroll positioned for peripheral contact with said knife, meansfor feeding a fur skin past the line of contact of said knife and rest,means for rotating said knife to cause it to travel in operative contactwith the fur of a skin in the direction of its feed and means forrotating said rest roll in an opposite direction.

8. In a machine for shaving the fibers of pelts, a rotary cutter, a restroll in peripheral contact therewith, means for positively driving saidcutter and said rest roll in opposite directions, the speedof said restroll being greater than said cutter and means for providing for arelative peripheral adjustment of said rolls.

9. In a machine for shaving the fibers of pelts, a rotary cutter, a restroll in peripheral contact therewith, means for driving said cutter andsaid rest roll in opposite directions, the speed of said rest roll beinggreater than said cutter andmeans for providing for a diagonaladjustment of said rest roll and for a vertical adjustment of saidrotary cutter and means for presenting the pelt to the cutter.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD F. HANIFY, THOMAS F. HIGGINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

